An architect's drawing shows the location of the proposed Muskegon County Jail. An older proposal is shown in gray.Courtesy photo

MUSKEGON, MI – The Muskegon County Commissioners on Thursday gave a go-ahead for the sale of bonds that will finance a new jail and juvenile transition center.

The commissioners, meeting as the Ways and Means Committee July 11, voted unanimously to proceed with a bond sale. The county could sell up to $40 million in bonds, with up to $34 million being spent in the construction fund. Nonconstruction funds could go toward paying capitalized interest on the bonds and other financing costs.

The commissioners are set to formally approve the bond sale when they meet as the full board at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 16.

Muskegon County Finance and Management Services Director Heath Kaplan said that the county won’t know the exact amount of the bond sale -- which could be significantly less than the maximum -- until a deal is finalized two or three weeks from now.

The Muskegon Chronicle and MLive Media Group will have more on this story early Friday morning.